After the success of the inaugural event, The 2024 Arc’teryx Backcountry Academy is back in Whistler, BC, Canada for a second year.
With a steadfast commitment to education and community, the event, taking place from February 23-25, 2024, aims to solidify its global standing in ski and snow education still further this winter.
“We are excited to once again gather in a space where learning and festivity intertwine, all while celebrating the vibrant Coast Mountain culture that surrounds it. Join us as we venture deeper into the heart of the backcountry, immersing ourselves in Whistler’s stunning landscapes.”
Skills clinics are a key part of Academy events, providing incredibly unique learning opportunities and intentionally welcoming spaces for snow-sport enthusiasts. The Academy has teamed up with Altus Mountain Guides and Extremely Canadian to ensure that all clinics are led by certified guides who will ensure that skill development is delivered with safety as the main priority.
Clinic offerings have something for everyone with a wide variety of beginner, intermediate and advanced clinics enabling you to level up your skills. Amongst the full list, you’ll find clinics such as Split Ski Extravaganza with Joey Vosburgh taking place on Friday, February 23rd. This inbounds clinic is specifically for splitboarders and allows you to come together to create your own posse of fellow splitboarders to hone your split ski skills. You’ll focus on your gear setup, controlled descending on simple, low hazard groomers in ski mode, and sidestepping to maintain that flow on split ski exits.
Are you looking for rad women to foray into the backcountry with? Saturday, February 24th brings you the opportunity to join Michelle Parker for a Women’s Intro to Backcountry Skiing clinic. Spend the day with Michelle and fellow women developing the skills necessary to head into the backcountry. You’ll focus on what gear to pack, companion rescue skills and how to travel uphill safely. You’ll leave with new connections and skills.
Sunday, February 25th offers even more incredible clinics, including Fast and Dirty Anchors So You Can Ski More Powder with Eric Carter. In this intermediate/advanced ski mountaineering clinic, you’ll learn how to build quick, bomber anchors for belaying and rappelling into ski lines.
Arc’teryx would like to acknowledge that we are fortunate to hold this event on the shared unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation and Lil̓wat7úl (Lil’wat) Nation.
Clinics go on sale at 12PM PST on November 7th via whistler.arcteryxacademy.com/. Participants must be aged 16 or over for inbounds clinics or 18 and over for all backcountry clinics. For more information about necessary skills or gear needed to participate in clinics, head to the clinics information page here: whistler.arcteryxacademy.com/clinic-info.
Skills clinics are a key part of Academy events, providing incredibly unique learning opportunities and intentionally welcoming spaces for snow-sport enthusiasts. The Academy has teamed up with Altus Mountain Guides and Extremely Canadian to ensure that all clinics are led by certified guides who will ensure that skill development is delivered with safety as the main priority. Arc’teryx challenged their world-class snow-sport athlete team to develop a clinic offering that reflects their individual strengths, passions and quirks
More programming around films, music and event programming will be released in the coming months via the @arcteryxacademy Instagram channel.
Arc’teryx would like to acknowledge that we are fortunate to hold this event on the shared unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation and Lil̓wat7úl (Lil’wat) Nation.
